In this blog article, we will learn about economizers. Before going into the deep first we will know about what is economizer.
What is Economizer?
An economizer is a mechanical device designed to reduce energy consumption by preheating a fluid. Simply put, the economizer is the part of a boiler that uses waste heat to heat incoming water.
Economizers are used in a variety of applications such as engines, power plants, HVAC, and boilers. Simply put, the economizer works like a heat exchanger. The boiler’s economizer is used to increase the energy efficiency of the system. Thermal power plant economizers are used to save the power generation process. The recovered energy is used to preheat the boiler feedwater, which is eventually turned into superheated steam. This means it basically collects the waste heat and applies it where you need it, saving a lot of fuel consumption and economizing the processes.
Functions
Boiler economizers work on the principle of heat exchange. In general, heat is transferred from high temperature to low temperature.
The water heated in the boiler is cold and the exhaust or flue gases at the boiler outlet are hot. Therefore, this temperature difference between the flue gas and water contributes to an increase in the feedwater temperature.
Depending on the principle of operation, the economizer can be a water pipe or a chimney pipe.
In a water tube boiler, water flows inside the tube and the flue gas moves out of the tube. However, in firefighters, water flows out of the tube and the flue gases pass inside the tube.
The Efficiency of the Boiler Economizer
The location of the economizer in the chimney is very important when determining whether an economizer is suitable for a boiler system.
To ensure maximum heat recovery from the process, the economizer should be installed as close as possible to the combustion opening. This arrangement helps prevent heat loss and cooling.
